Membership Change, July 2018.
Following four years of dedicated service with the IRBC, Paul Moore announced his decision to retire from the committee earlier this year, stepping down from his role as Voting Member to focus his efforts on local conservation initiatives in County Cork such as the Harper’s Island Wetland Centre and the BRIDE farming with nature project.
Paul brought great enthusiasm, knowledge and insight to the committee during his tenure and his work ethic will be sorely missed. We wish him the very best with his work.
The IRBC is delighted to announce that Andrew McMillan will take on the role as Voting Member. Andrew is an active birder from County Wicklow, starting in earnest in the mid-1980’s under the tutelage of Major R.F. Ruttledge. Birding his local patches between Broad Lough and Kilcoole involved detailed surveying of waterbirds and resulted in rarity finds such as Red-footed Falcon, Purple Heron and Spotted Crake as well as a host of Nearctic vagrants. His discovery of two male Desert Wheatears at Bray Head in November 2011 will be remembered fondly by many Irish birders.
Elsewhere in Ireland, Andrew has spent considerable time exploring County Donegal especially Arranmore Island where autumn vagrants such as Citrine Wagtail, Bluethroat, Little and Ortolan Buntings have been unearthed. Expanding on his fondness for islands, he has travelled on many occasions to Shetland, Fair Isle and North Ronaldsay.
Andrew’s hard graft in the field and familiarity with rarities will no doubt make a him a considerable asset to the committee.